Clouds
by bucktooth22
Summary: Kouga rescues Kagome, ditching Inuyasha and Shippo. Kouga x Kagome
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

It had been a long time since Kagome had been home this time. Among other things, that meant it had been a long time since she had properly bathed. Sure she washed up a bit in streams they passed on occasion, but she was dying for a nice hot steam. Miroku and Sango had taken Kirara to check on Kaede and the village while Inuyasha Kagome and Shippo waited. Luckily for Kagome Inuyasha found a hot spring close to the area they'd agreed to meet Sango Miroku and Kirara. Inuyasha and Shippo were sitting in the glade well out of view as Kagome stripped her clothes off and slipped into the steaming water. Sighing she sank beneath the surface feeling the warmth seep into her before coming back up and feeling the cool air burn her lungs.

Just as she began reaching for her things to find the soap she brought something brushed against her leg. It left a searing heat that burned into her flesh. She screamed in pain and tried to drag herself from the water onto the rocky shore. The pain spread as the thing took hold of her leg and began pulling her back into the water. She scrambled trying to reach her bow or at least to grab an arrow, but then she was yanked below the surface once more, her screams became no more than bubbles.

As she slipped lower and lower into the heated water, the searing pain felt like lava curled around her, she felt her hands scrap along the rock walls trying to cling to anything to stop her descent, but it did nothing. As her eyes began to close she felt someone grab her hand. She felt like she may rip in two, but then the pain in her leg loosened just a bit and she was above the water again. She screamed as the air pierced her lungs as she flew through the air and her wrist was twisted and she was yanked into Inuyasha's arms.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted as she clung to his neck.

"Kag-Kagome." Inuyasha blushed furiously, his hands trying not to touch any of her naked body while still cradling her in his arms as her left foot was quite injured. He put her down, covering his eyes with one hand and pulling off his robe of the fire rat before draping it on Kagome who pulled it close around her body.

"Inuyasha there's a-"

"I got it." He said pulling out his sword and advancing on the demon.

"Kagome!" Shippo said running up and looking at the fire the demon was spreading.

"My clothes." Kagome mumbled looking at the charred remains of her still burning clothes.

"Shippo get Kagome out of here." Inuyasha growled from where he was fighting the demon.

"Right!" Shippo turned to Kagome just in time to see Kouga scoop her up and jump off over the blazing forest.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Kouga landed a good distance off from the blaze and the battle and put Kagome down. She squealed in pain and fell onto Kouga who caught her easily and lifted her once more into his arms.

"Did that filthy mutt let something happen to you?" Kouga snarled.

"It's fine." Kagome said feeling like her foot was on fire and her wrist had been twisted off.

"Gosh Kagome, I love you, but you need to get out of that horrible robe. It stinks of that mutt dog." Kouga said. "You just rest. I'll keep you safe." Kouga said softly as he held her against him as he ran on. She looked over his shoulder at the fire as it grew distant before her eyes slid shut.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Ginta and Hakkaku poked the fire. "We've been sitting here waiting for Kouga all night." Ginta mumbled.

"Well when he catches Kagome's scent it's not like we can keep up with him." Hakkaku said tossing a stick into the fire.

"Do you hear that?" Ginta asked looking up into the dark sky just in time to see a tornado whirl into view.

"Hakkaku, I want you to get something for Kagome to wear." Kouga said stopped in front of them, his windy arrival blowing out the fire. "Ginta, I want you to find something to wrap Kagome's injuries in." Kouga said sitting down and gently putting Kagome's still form cradled on his lap. They both jumped up and ran off without questioning their fearless leader. "Gosh Kagome, what has that mutt gotten you into this time?" Kouga asked sniffing her wounded ankle.

Hakkaku was the first one to get back, they were close enough to the wolf den and he had just hopped home and gotten some of the other wolves' fur clothes for her to wear.

"What happened to Kagome?" Hakkaku asked handing the things to Kouga before setting about re-starting the fire.

"Go find what's taking Ginta so long." Kouga said sounding irritated. Hakkaku knew not to argue with Kouga when it came to Kagome so once the fire was blazing again he set back off.

"Kagome." Kouga said softly when he knew Hakkaku was gone. Kagome stirred softly, her eyes blinking open to see Kouga's light blue eyes peering into hers. "Hakkaku got you something to wear."

"Oh." She sat up, cradling her wrist and holding Inuyasha's robe tightly about her. "Thank you Kouga." She said softly.

"Is your wrist injured too?" He asked taking her hand gently into his.

"I think it just got twisted." She said. It was true, her foot hurt much more, but her wrist was definitely more than just twisted.

"Hakkaku and Ginta should be back soon." Kouga said. "Do you need help changing?" He asked.

"No." She said blushing. He nodded and left her by the fire.

The clothes were warm and soft. They were the same soft brown as Kouga's fur and she wondered if it had been planned that way. She pulled on the skirt before going to the top and finding the buttons a little hard to do one-handed.

"On second thought, Kouga." She said to the empty night air. He was by her side once again in the blink of an eye. "These buttons." She said blushing and feeling ashamed at her own uselessness.

"Wow Kagome, that suits you much more than the gaudy red robe." Kouga said as he did the buttons up, tail wagging in insuppressible joy. "Now you look the part. You will make a fine bride." He said grinning his wolfish teeth.

"Kouga!" Shouted Ginta as he and Hakkaku came trotting into view. The light cast from the fire showed their tired movements and the bandages in Ginta's hands.

"What took you so long?" Kouga asked snatching the wraps from his underling and beginning to apply them to Kagome's wrist and ankle.

"Thank you Ginta and Hakkaku." Kagome said smiling sweetly as Kouga wrapped her foot up.

"Anything for you Kagome!" They said eagerly.

"I wonder why that mutt Inuyasha hasn't shown up yet." Kouga said at last as he sat next to Kagome, hand resting softly on her uninjured one.

"He was battling a fearsome demon when you came to get me." Kagome said wondering if Inuyasha was okay.

"Fearsome." Kouga snorted out a laugh. "That little water spirit?"

"Its touch was like fire." Kagome said looking down at her leg.

"So maybe it wasn't a water spirit, still shouldn't be taking this long." Kouga said.

"It lit the woods on fire." Kagome shuddered as her gaze fell to the fire lighting the far off distance. Ginta and Hakkaku sat across from them, leaning on each other and having already fallen asleep.

"So that's what happened to your clothes." Kouga said as he pulled her closer. "You must be tired." Kouga said. She nodded and put her head down on his lap. "I'll wake you when your mutt gets here."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Kagome slept until nearly dawn and then she sat up and yawned and stretched.

"Did you sleep well?" Kouga asked looking at her lovingly. She blushed and nodded.

"You were quite cute sleeping all curled up like that." He said. "Are your injuries feeling better?"

"A little." She didn't notice much difference. "Where are Hakkaku and Ginta?"

"I sent them to get Inuyasha for you." He said casually.

"Kouga-" Her eyes went wide. "You realize if you wanted to you could have just-"

"Use that mutt Inuyasha's absence to steal your heart?" He cut in. Her face turned bright red. He laughed softly at her bright red complexion. "The thought did occur to me, but I don't need underhanded tricks to have you as my woman. You will come to love me Kagome, and it will be of your own free will." He said smiling at her.

"Kouga-" Her eyes were wide as she looked at him like it was the first time she was seeing him. He looked up into the sky, lying back in the grass and sighing contentedly.

"We played a game sometimes when I was little." She lay back next to him with her head supported by his arm and her side warmed by his. She smiled and pointed up at the clouds dotting the sky. "You pick a cloud and you say what you think it looks like."

"It looks like a cloud." He said puzzled, his tail giving an irritated swish.

"That one looks like a fish. See the tail?" She asked. He was silent for a long moment.

"Oh wow you're right!" He said grinning from ear to ear as his tail began wagging eagerly. "What does that one look like?" He asked pointing at another.

"It looks like a puppy." She said. "See the ears? And the tail."

"A wolf cub." He said beaming at her like she was the world. Like she was his world. "And that one?"

"It looks kinda like a baby." She said thoughtfully.

"It looks like a cat to me." He said as his smile dimmed and his tail slowed.

"See? That's the fun thing about it. Everyone's right." She laughed and hugged him around the waist. They spent some time doing that and just talking about what things were like in her world. Eventually Inuyasha showed up with Shippo on his shoulder and in the company of Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha sighed in relief gathering her into his arms. "What are you wearing?" He asked holding her out at arm's length and sniffing her experimentally. She faltered, having trouble balancing with an injured foot and being tugged around by Inuyasha.

"My clothes got burned." Kagome said smiling.

"That's why I gave you my robe." Inuyasha huffed seeing it balled up on the ground and growling softly at Kouga, knowing it was his fault.

"Thank you Hakkaku and Ginta." Kagome said to the two exhausted wolves, ignoring Inuyasha.

"Anything for you Kagome." They chorused sleepily before collapsing and falling into an exhausted sleep.

"You filthy mutt!" Kouga snarled scooping Kagome up as if she weighed nothing more than a blade of grass and putting her out of Inuyasha's arms reach before descending on the half-demon and shoving him hard. "You let Kagome get hurt!"

"Kagome-" Inuyasha's face filled with worry and he looked over to where she was cradling her bandaged hand and standing with all her weight on one foot.

"I let her stay with you because she's safer there than with me, but if you don't keep her safe I'll kill you and do it myself." Kouga snarled.

"Like you could have done anything different scrawny wolf." Inuyasha snapped shoving him away and going to Kagome. He took her wrist in his hand and gently touched the bandage on it before looking up at her like he had a million things to say. Most of those things were apologies.

"Get away from her you filthy useless mutt." Kouga said landing on top of Inuyasha who fell on his face. "Kagome, when are going to ditch this looser and come to live with me?" He asked leaning in to her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Get off me!" Inuyasha growled.

"Um-" She blushed, but didn't try to pull away.

"If I were the one doing all this you'd have told me to-" Inuyasha barked angrily from where he was being crushed by Kouga standing on top of him.

"Sit Boy!" Kagome snapped. "Kouga, thank you for all you did for me today, but I'm still on a quest with Inuyasha." She said.

"When it is complete, and Naraku is dead one way of the other, will you come be my wife?" He asked.

"I'll think about it." Kagome laughed awkwardly.

"Maybe is better than a no." Kouga said leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. "I'll kill Naraku then, so you can come live with me and be my woman." Kouga said hopping off Inuyasha and whirling off into the distance.

"Kouga wait!" Ginta and Hakkaku called half-heartedly as they scrambled up and began trotting after him.

"I think you two deserve a rest." Kagome smiled at them. They looked at her with so much love as she laughed and sat near the fire. They looked between her and Kouga before calling thank you to her one last time and moving lethargically after their leader.

"Hey!" Inuyasha whined. "How come you're nice to everyone but me?" He asked brushing the dirt off him.

"Inuyasha." She growled. He winced, knowing what was coming. "Sit boy!"

"You deserved that one." Shippo said sitting on her lap as Inuyasha twitched and moaned in pain. "Did Kouga take good care of you?"

"Well he delegated most of it, but yes I suppose so." She smiled softly at Shippo.

"So Kouga helps you one time and you're his woman now? I've been protecting you this while time, and what do I get? I get told to sit." Inuyasha huffed angrily.

"I'm no one's woman thank you very much!" Kagome snapped. "And if you were nice to me for once I'd be nice to you too." She looked up at the clouds as the fish turned into butterfly. "I love watching the clouds." She smiled softly.


End file.
